Rating: 
Summary: A masterwork of historical fiction
Review: For those who are able to countenance the explicit depictions of sex, violence, and unspeakable butchery, Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's "From Hell" is an exquisite depiction of the squalor and degeneracy of Victorian London. Through its dark drawings it indicts a corrupt society that celebrates its degenerate aristocracy while castigating the poor who merely exist to scratch out an existence with the only means left to them. While drawing on the facts of the Whitechapel murders, Moore constructs a fictional story, exploring the minds and hearts of the killer -- here presumed to be the royal doctor William Gull (a theory largely discounted in real life) -- and the social structure that permitted him to exercise his madness. Moore provides what we do not have, a motive for the murders. Indeed, he offers two motives -- to cover up the sexual indiscretions of Queen Victoria's grandson, and to fulfill a mad vision inspired by Masonic mythology and the architecture and geography of London. The Freemasons are again on hand to cover up the coverup. Moore also takes the largely unknown personages of Inspector Abberline and Mary Kelly, the final victim of the Ripper, and brings them to life. For those who, like me, are oppressed by the inevitability of the gruesome murders and the Moore even subtly suggests an alternative fate for Kelly, one not supported by any evidence in real life, but one that was, to me, supremely satisfactory.
Rating: 
Summary: From Hell Review
Review: From Hell by Alan Moore proves that graphic novels can join the ranks of sophisticated literature. His well researched engaging novel sheds light on the idea that a well off Free Mason Sir William Gull was the infamous Jack the Ripper. This graphic novel has all the aspects of a beautifully drawn comic and also that of appealing historical fiction novel. From Hell intertwines facts and educated guesses in a pleasurable reading experience.
The art style of the book is dark and gruesome. Panels often reveal much more than their respective dialogue. When reading the novel I often found myself staring at the panels for long after I read all the dialogue. Although this novel is defiantly not the best starter for someone knew to the ideas of graphic novels. It is not like an easy read comic book like Spiderman or other graphic novels like Maus. Once you have conquered other graphic novels From Hell is lovely read.
Although From Hell's plot type is like Maus, talking about a gross part in our history, they have little in common. If you were not a fan of Art Spigelman's very bank clear panels and would like something more dark and sinister, Alan Moore's From Hell is a perfect fit for you. It's style if hard to understand a first I admit since his characters don't keep the same cloths on through the novel, also for the fact that time and settings jump around from panel to panel.
When I was reading From Hell I often found it necessary to study and analyze each picture, which may be time consuming but is very enjoyable. Each picture is dark and detailed to using only black and white; one could say it uses a sort of ink pen style. The pictures really get the message across and you can really feel what the author wants you to feel without paragraphs and paragraphs of boring details.
This graphic novel uses lewd an inappropriate images as well as gruesome Jack the Ripper scenes. Showing scene with hookers is some times needed when they are your villain's primary target. In the book Moore speaks of the Free Masons (which is an underground society for the wealthy and long ago the Free Masons had members like Thomas Jefferson) as assort of dark and creepy organization, Sir William Gull, the proposed evildoer belongs to this group. We see Sir William's childhood and his entry to the Free Masons.
On the whole Alan Moore's From Hell is a well drawn, well written through provoking historical fiction novel which will excited most. As I said before if you are on of those people who have never picked up a comic book in their life, and you are interested in From Hell I would highly recommend it. Yet if you are willing to get into the whole graphic novel scene do not start with this book. It is very hard to understand for a new comer and after I've finished it I can't decided weather its From Hell's greatness or depth that is calling me back to read it again!
Rating:
Summary: Very violent and sexually explicit
Review: From Hell is very violent. Well duh it deals with the Jack the Ripper killings. This book was also very sexually explicit with lots of nudity and sex scenes and bisexual hookers and all sorts of stuff that can lead to puns on the term "graphic novel"
The story is an interesting take on Jack the Ripper. From the beginning we know the identity of the killer. We know more about him than any of his victims. The research and non-fictional elements were the highlight of the story for me. There are many details about London geography and the setting that added to the feel of the story. There were also endnotes, which gave some factual sources for what was happening in the story and there was an illustrated history of true crime books about Jack the Ripper which gave much of the credit for this particular theory to Stephen Knight's Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. Basically here the killings are a Masonic plot authorized by Queen Victoria that gets horribly out of hand. There were some nice subplots about the prostitutes. I especially liked the idea of the doomed Marie Kelly planning an escape.
The illustrations are a bit crude probably to give the book a raw feel. They were a bit usatisfying to me because frequently they were just illustration and didn't do much to help the story along. In some sections the illustrations added to the story particularily on the sequence illustrating the final killing and a sequence contrasting the morning routines of the killer with those of the prostitutes.
If you want to read this be aware of just how much violence and sex there is.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!
Review: This story is so detailed, long, and just so damn researched,(not complaining) that it was just stupid to even try to make a movie out of it. This book is great and it deinately lives up to Moore's standards.
P.S.- Work your way up to this book, don't start out with it(it's too much to handle).
Rating:
Summary: Heart was pounding!
Review: "This story is chilling, frightening, dark, funny, morbid, original.." was posted in a review- I have to agree! This is a must have for your personal library! Spooky, scary,and it gets your heart pounding! I also recommend "Eternal Undying Love" by Brett Keane
Rating:
Summary: Credit to whom credit is due ...
Review: In light of the applause given to this particular author, the Freemason research - "a couple of Ph.d's worth" - was done by Stephen Knight in his 1988 book on the Whitechapel Murders. Knight died subsequent to proving the Freemasonic nature of the murders - and why there were only five of them. The book is now out of print (not surprisingly) but nevertheless, it is Stephen Knight to whom credit should go, for proving the freemasonic ties.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely amazing
Review: I was absolutely amazed by the depth and quality of Alan Moore's FROM HELL. I've been reading graphic novels for a little over a year now, and in terms of subtlety, nuance, and overall storytelling, FROM HELL is head and shoulders above anything else I've read. I'm currently reading Moore's WATCHMEN, which also seems to be of equal quality.
I've never experienced anything close to what FROM HELL delivers in the admittedly short time that I've been reading comics. Alan Moore writes with the ear of a novelist and the eye of a portraitist. He packs this well-researched story of the Jack the Ripper murders with a wide and observant representation of life.
This graphic novel isn't just a retelling of the facts of the Jack the Ripper case (though it does an extraordinary job of that). It takes it all to the next level, and examines the reasons for examining such things.
It's not so much a suspense story (you know who the killer is right from the beginning) but rather one of internal discovery. A fascinating work of art and work of literature that should be read by anyone who wants to see just what comics are capable of.
Rating:
Summary: Stellar
Review: The pages can get quite ugly; ink splotches, grotesque dissections et al. All this was very necessary, but the story, however, was homogenous- it was a dark and intelligent epic, and one that has numerous elements of realism, so this doesn't step in that "fantasy" category with truculent elves and other Dei ex Machina. In short, I loved the book. Here was a story which dared to stick it's thumb up at the comics establishment (published in the '80s, wot.) and it did it remarkably well. Truly, this book told its tale like a movie, and the numerous mises-en-scene were deftly handled, and the royal chaps were masterfully portrayed. It had a fine start, and good closure too, quite unlike many money-churning comics you see on the shelf today with issues running into the hundreds. Definite start, definite end, definite masterpiece. 'Tis a shame pop culture so mangled the movie, and if you hated the film (as I did) and want to read the book nonetheless, please do.
|
